Get More Cardio the Next Time you Workout at a Nearby Metrotown Gym

Residents of Burnaby, British Columbia who want to lose weight may want to double down on cardio or aerobic exercises to achieve better results. Aerobic exercises are relatively lightweight, and designed to increase the body’s need for oxygen. A reputable Metrotown gym, like She’s Fit, offers several options for cardio exercises to help you win the battle of the bulge.

A December 2012 article on CNN Health reported on a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, which showed that aerobic exercise is more effective for short-term weight loss compared to lifting weights. The study was designed by scientists from Duke University Medical Center who wanted to find out exactly what type of workout routine would be more effective for weight loss. Over 200 overweight, middle-aged adult participants with no diabetes were assigned to one of three exercise routines.

The first group stuck to 133 minutes of cardio exercises each week. The second group did more weight lifting, while the third group combined both cardio and weight training. It is widely believed that one can burn more calories by increasing muscle mass, since the body naturally uses up more calories to maintain a kilo of muscle compared to a kilo of fat. Ergo, by building muscle, people can boost their metabolism and thereby burn more calories.

The results of the study proved quite astonishing in that the number of calories burned as a result of mere muscle gain was not that spectacular as far as weight loss was concerned. Meanwhile, the third group of volunteers who stuck to a combination of both cardio and weight lifting were found to lose the most weight around the midsection. However, it took them twice the work to lose marginally as much weight than the cardio-only group.

The researchers thus concluded that weight lifting alone somehow does not help the body lose fat or shed the kilos quite as dramatically as aerobic exercise. Given that busy people tend to cheat with exercise, experts suggest that people who work out mainly to lose weight may want to focus their efforts initially on aerobic exercise. Luckily, you can count on personal trainers from gyms like She’s Fit to design tailor-fit programs that can help you achieve your fitness goals in a balanced and sustainable manner.

The study does not dissuade people, however, from strength training, which helps maintain good overall health, and prevents the loss of bone and muscle mass as the body ages. However, it really all boils down to what your goal is: do you work out at a well-equipped Metrotown health club to lose weight, gain muscle mass, or both? If it’s the former, then it’s only logical that you add more cardio exercises to your routine so you can achieve your ideal weight within a reasonable period.